Improvement in invalid-bedsteads



I. F. BAKER.

INVALID BBDSTBAD.

Patented Sept. 2, 41862.

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

isAiAH E. BAKER,- oE wEsr-'YARMoU'rm MASSACHUSETTS.

luw PRovEMENT IN INVALI D'-Becerra/los.v

specmmnn'n forming pal-r of Letters Patent No. 36,332, dma septmter'e, 1ste.

To @ZZ whom/"it may concern.-

Beit known that I, IsAIAHF. Balmacfv West Yarmouth, in the countyof Barnstable andl State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid- Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description of the construction and operation of the same, refer- -ence being had to the accompanying drawings,

making part of this specification, which has been prepared for the purpose of procuring a patent therefor. y

In the drawings, Figure l is an end view of my'improvd bcdst'ead as used for the purpose of turning 'or shifting the position of a help-1 less patient, the operation being performed by simply turning a crank, as indicated by the arrows. Fig. f2 is a similar view of my invention as used for supporting the patient while the bed is being made or changed,or for the 'purpose of giving an injectiono'r enema', or for allowing the ejection of fecal matter;l and Fig. 3 is a viewcf a roller detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures. A A are the posts, and A the rail, of an ordinarily-constructed bedstead to which my improvenients are attached. B B are two brackets fixed to the posts A A at each corner of the bedstead, and having each two open bearings,

b b. In these bearing and running parallel with the side. rails'of the bedstead are' hung f two rollers, C C', extending nearly or quite the entire length ofthe bedstead. On one'endy of each of these rollers is fixed a ratchet-wheel,

D D', and that end of the rollers is squared or otherwise fitted to receive a crank yor lever,- E. Pawls Ff G g are provided for these ratchetwheels to act in the manner of double retaining-pawls as generally used, and also so formed i under the worst conditions.

apron attached to both the rollers `C and C',

bedstead in the ordinary manner,with a sheet or sacking, N, placed over it and'secured by strings tothe bedstead to prevent it from bel ing moved with the sheet I. l

lIn ordinary use the rollers CC lie in the lowermos't bearings, t', and the sheet I is slack ened andlies upon the sheet N, the patient resting upon the sheet I, as represented. In this condition the apparatus performsonly the functions of an ordinarybedstead; but when itis `desired totnrn the patient in bed vone-oi" the rollers, C or'G, according to the side lto which-it is wished to turn'the patient, is r.0

tat-edby--rneans of 'the crank.. 1This action draws the sheet I under the patient and'upward on an angle, as shown in Fig. ,1, -which tends to roll the patient, and Aaided'by the depression in the mattress caused by the weight of the patient it does turn him in so gentle a manner as` to cause him little or no paimeven By rotating the other roller the patient is turnedin the oppositedirection, these'operations requiring but one attendant. The patient may also be shifted from one side to the otherof the bed by the same means.

When it is desired'to rearrange the bed,the I rollers C C are lifted into the bearings b b, and by turning one or both of them, as the circumstances may require, the patientis lifted upon. the sheet or apron I into the position shown in Fig. 2,entirely clear from the mattress M, which may then be changed or removed and'beaten up and rearranged without disturbing the patient, who is then carefully lowered again, yso `as to` rest in any desired lposition upon the bed.

, Vhen it is desired to substitute a clean sheet for the sheet I, or when it is desired'to substitute therefor one having afhole for facilitating the.,v giving an injection or enema or for allowing the removal of fecal matter, the patient isrst raised into the position shown in Fig. 2,

vand theclean sheet, or the one having the aperture, as the case may be, is spread smoothly upon the bed underneath. 'lhe patient is then lowered again and one edge of the sheet I detached from the apron H. The edge of the new 'sheet is then attached to this apron, and by rotating the roller C or C', to which. I `remains connected, and supporting the patient slightly, the old sheet I is removed from under the patient, leaving him upon the new sheet. Thesheet I is then detached from the other roller and the other edge of the new sheet secured thereto,which then operates precisely V in thesanlemannerfas the'sheet I. y p

In administering an injection the patient is lifted by the mechanism into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the:instrumen-t'iinserted through a hole made in ihesheetfor that purpose.

This hole should be 'large enough toallow of ythe passage through it oi' all matter evacuated from the bowelsi-nto a vessel placedvbeneath.

I When it is 'desired to feed the patient,or 'for anyv other` cause to get nearer than is convenient with the rollers C C in place,they may be removedi-rom thei r'bearin'gs and dropped byl the sideofl the bed, entirelyout-o'f thejway, I have represented myinvention-i-nthe drawings :1s-attached to' an ordinary bedstead with posts,and this is the manner in which I prefer to constrne'tit in practice; but it may also be made in' a.. frame adapted to fit upon a bedstead, which will be necessary to adapt it tov use upon, ordinary'hospital-hedsteads, which have no posts above the rail. Itsapplication in this manner is obvious, and requires no specific description. f

I am awareV that it is not new to turnl a pa- .tient in bed or to raise him for making the bed by mechanical means; but I believe my apparatus for that purpose to possess advantages4 over any heretofore known, amongA which adva-ntages'may be enumerated the ease with which it may be operated both as regards the comfort of thepatient and-.the convenience of the attendant'. By shifting the windlasses or rollers O O' from the bearings b tob,` or vice versa,"as the kind of operation. requires. the

.apparatusis more out of the way in themost common application of rolling the patient or shiftin'g his position in bed,and that operation is performed in a more gentle manner than it' the rollers were always in their lhigher position, where they are required to be when Inaking thel bed orgiving an enema, `itc. By the arrangement of the pawls F f G g they not 'onlyperform `the usual functions'of double pawls, so as to hold the smaller increments of motion, but are self-supporting when raised or v thrown ont of use, thus greatly adding to the facility and ease of operation.

Ighave practically testedmy invention for some months in my own family and find itto be avery great help,besidesexerting a very beneiieialeft'ect upon the`-patient, who there is no reason to believe could'have survived the orf IsAIAH F. BAKER.

Witnesses:

FREDK. ScUDDER, EDWD. W. EWER. 

